Today was a day well worth waiting for featuring clear skies and warm temperatures. A cautious walk across ice and snowpack led us to plants that are just today free of snow cover. This is a picture of Bluets that have a long history of disappointment here resulting from their frequent disappearance. Here we see a plausible explanation for that problem. Fresh deer tracks in the snow and an uprooted plant likely illustrate the problem. Today, Becky firmly replanted the chewed then spit out plant piece deep in a narrow crevice in the wall stones.
Columbine is a persistent native plant. Breeders have developed wild colors for this plant but we prefer the red natural color. John Burroughs had a blue flowered version of Columbine growing in front of his cabin located on land where he grew up. During our visit there seeds were ripe. We do not usually snatch plants but some of these seeds found their way into my pocket. As a possible lesson in maintaining proper behavior, none of these seeds grew here.
This may well be the star of today's show. Round Lobed Hepatica is a native woodland plant with the uncommon habit of carrying over functional leaves from the previous summer. These tattered leaves will provide nourishment for the first wildflower blossoms of the year. They will be followed by a compact cluster of new leaves.
This fern was a new purchase last year. Rock Polypody is its name and two fernlike leaves are visible. Above and to the left may well be the freshly chewed stems that correspond to the nearby new deer tracks. Wire cages are both unsightly and common in our planned wildflower woodland garden. If the ground thaws tomorrow, another cage will be placed here if we can find one free of frozen soil's grip.
Chickweed suffers from the same ailment that keeps dandelions from being seen as a treasure. Both are wildly hardy and excessively common. Chickweed is constantly weeded out but we cannot eliminate it. That may be a good thing since in the past persistent leg sores on an old man were cleared with the application of Chickweed tea when the doctor had no treatment to suggest. As the photo shows, this plant grows under a thick layer of snow although new blossoms may be days away.
This plant is new to us and its name remains elusive. A stone still hidden under the snow carries the name but we could not see it today. This plant is obviously hardy and we remember its yellow flowers. Safe from the deer, we look forward to another year with this plant. When we learn more about its growth habits, a better location may be necessary.
Woodland Phlox may solve a huge problem for us. It grows with reckless abandon and will soon fill a respectable area with yearlong growth. Many of our shade garden plants are more reserved and leave much ground free of desirable growth. After a winter of covid lockdown, it was simply wonderful to find living plants growing where just yesterday only snow could be seen.
